BOWLING.

Otago Witness, Issue 2894, 25 August 1909, Page 64

BOWLING.

Secretarie* are requested to forward psrtioular*

4f funet p!*;ed and of forthcoming matckei.

NOTES BT JACK.

The Christchurch Centre has nominated its president, Mr F. W. Johnstone, ac vicepresident of the Council of the N.Z.B.A. for the ensuing year. The other nominations are the same as those of the Dunedin Centre. I learn from M Mercer, the secretary, that so far no other nominations have been received. According to the local newspapers the Invercargill Centre decided on certain nominations, but these have not been sent on to the secretary.

The North Island Bowling A«sociaton, minus Auckland, has at length given way to the general opinion of the players by doing away with the limitation of entries at its annual tournament. Hitherto, each affiliated club was restricted to two rinks, neither more nor lees. For the - coming tournament clubs are at liberity to enter as many rinks as there are players desirous of taking part in the play. Whether this will result in fewer rinks from across Cook Strait taking part in the N.Z.B.A. tournament it is impossible _to say. It seems probable that this will be the effect. There is a possibility of course that the northern champion- rink may be anxious to try conclusions with the , southerners, and if successful, thus 'become the practical champions 'of the Dominion.

So far as can be ascertained nothing has been done yet in the way of trying to secure a visit from 'an " Australian team during the coming season. Nor does any steps appera to have been taking in the way of inviting a team from the Northern Association (Auckland), to visit the south, or as an alternative, preparing to send a team to tour the North Island. When the proposed tour of the North fell through last season, the Auoklanders, though disappointed, expressed themselves as prepared to come south if there was no probabilty of the southerners visiting them. Possibly the incoming president may take up thc?c matters on assuming office. Unfortunately much time will have been lost in the interval, and in the case of the Australians it will probably .be found that such an extensive and attractive programme has been arranged that there will be no likelihood of a ' visit to New Zealand beingincluded later on with, any chance of success.

A Timaru correspondent writes: — As already intimated in your notes of sth inst. the Timaru and Kia Toa Clubs (Timaru) ars endeavouring to arrange a tournament to be held during Xmac, 1909. Delegates from both clubs have met, and discussed the prcs and cons of the case, the result being that the South Canterbury Centre is to meet in a few days to give their approval, or otherwise, to the proposed tournament.

There seems to be no reason whatever wLy a tournament should not be carried out euccessfully. for Timvru is in a much better position to do so than when they had a tournament four years ag-o; then, they had only one green, now they have three greens in Timaru itself, and a fourth one at Temuka, 12 miles away, so that we fully anticipate liberal entries from outside clubs ; and seeing that in about three or four wesks after the Annual Tournament of the N.Z Bowling Association will be held, it will give those rinks entering for the latter an opportunity to have a perliminary flutter in Timaru, to test their strength or weakness. It is proposed to make the programme a fairly liberal one, and with the social part, well catered for. These, with the proverbial good weather, for which Timaru is -notad, should induce plenty of entries. - Then again, there is no better place for a holiday than Timaru, married bowlers could bring their wives, who could have a real good time on the well appointed Caroline Bay, with its splendid bathing facilities, or its country round about to go driving. We are hopeful of the proposal being approved and carried out, and welcoming once more to Timaru bowlers from north and south, and thus help in making the pastime even more popular than it at present is. Tho proposing of 16 new members at the annual meeting is a healthy sign, and from this and other indications a prosperous season ie anticipated for the Bafclutha Bowling Club. The balance sheet submitted showed a debit balance of £43 18s 4d, but when the work done during the past season in improving the green and building a pavilion is considered the result is "no so bad." The pavilion cost £120, of which £50 was paid by the Tennis Club, 'file club was very successful in its matches, and the fact of three inter-centre matches having been played on the green — namely, Southland, Dunedin, and South Otago-— did something in the way of arousing interest. The retiring president (Mr A. E. Bragg) was in the happy position of being able to say that the " past season had been the best the club had experienced for some years. Office-bearers were elected as follow: — President, Mr William Boyd; vice-president, Mr W. G. Finn ; treasurer, Mr William Guest (re-elected) ; secretary, HS4r Andrew Wood (re-elected) ; General Committee — Messrs G. W. Hutchins, James &b»ddan, H. Gunthorp, A. E. Biatfg, John Gow; Match Committee — Messrs W. Boyd, W. G. Finn, A. Wood; delegates to South Otago Bowling Association — Messrs W. Bovd and A. E. Bra^g When Mr W. G. Finn came forward to Teoeiye the champion bowls at the annual meeting of the Balclutha Club he reooivod a. reception which plainly showed that the •win had been a popular one. Other prizewinners were : — Messrs P. Hunter, R. Dunn, J. Ritchie (Mrs Dunn's prize), and H. Gunthorp. After votes of thanks to the ladies and retiring office-bearers •had been passed some discussion took place during which the opinion was expressed that there was 'rather too much single-handed play, to Ihe exclusion of rink play, but no resolution was passed. Doubtless the new committee .will note the tenor of the discussion.

Inter-county matches in Scotland are on a much larger scale than anything attempted south of the line. The match between Dumfriesshire and Galloway has been a fixture since 1872.. The twentysixth meeting came off on July 6, when 24 rinks a-side, or 192 players in all, took part, five greens being utilised. The game was one of 25 "heads, and the result was a win for Dumfriesshire by 548 poiats to 526. Twelve Galloway clubs contributed two rinks each. The winning 6ido was composed of four rinks each from Dum■fries a-ntl Parquhar clubs, three rinks each from Annan, Thornhill, Moffat, an<l

Lockerbie, and two rinks each fromLochmaben and Moniaive clubs. The intercounty cup goes to the winning county, and is held by the club whose two rinks have the advantage of the greatest number of points over their opponents. On this occasion it was found that the two highest rinks of the Moffat and Lockerbie Clubs had tied. The members of the rink on the

-c mem so- c - losing side securing the highest number of points received a gold medal each.